The Viability of a Culture Change Agenda in the Public Sector
The Viability of a Culture Change Agenda in the Public Sector

Summary/Abstract: Most of the original drivers of change in the public sector in Australia have been political and external to individual departments. In Queensland change was spurred by the Savage Report (Public Sector Review Committee 1987), where the implementation of the report's recommendations moved the public sector towards a more business-like and commercial approach to operating. This paper uses the case of the Department of Main Roads in Queensland, Australia, as an example of the viability of a culture change agenda adopted by an individual government department in its internal efforts, to respond to the demands of the externally imposed changes. It is concluded that as culture change is very time-consuming, it may be that behaviour change rather than complete culture change is the only option in the case of change externally imposed by government.

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